Different three-dimensional computer generated characters may be generated by applying one or more blend shapes (which may also be referred to as morph targets) to a base mesh. A blend weight for a blend shape determines the amount of influence the blend shape has on a base mesh for a three-dimensional character and typically the blend weight is between zero (which indicates that the blend shape is not applied to the base mesh) and one. In many situations, the blend weights are set manually (e.g. by an artist who is designing the three-dimensional character); however, where the character is automatically generated, random numbers may be used to set the blend weights. Having applied the blend shapes using the blend weights, the resultant three-dimension character may be rendered on a screen, e.g. as part of a computer animation, computer game or other graphical user interface.
The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of known systems and methods for automatically generating three-dimensional characters or other three-dimensional entities (e.g. inanimate objects).